Our drinking water may be poisoned

"When you look at the big picture, government authorities have done a remarkable job in providing "clean" water for most developed countries. Water-borne epidemics such as cholera are almost unheard of in the developed world. On the other hand, acknowledging what has been accomplished does not mean that we should close our eyes to the problems that exist.

Keep in mind that the "maximum contamination levels" that water districts so proudly adhere to merely represent a compromise standard designed to be economically feasible for local districts to meet. They in no way come close to the safety standards established by the U.S. Safe Water Drinking Act. Drinking water in Europe and throughout the rest of the world is little different, and in many cases even worse.

On average, drinking water in the United States currently contains over 2,100 toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer, cell mutation, and nervous disorders. This is not particularly surprising considering that there are close to 100,000 chemicals now in everyday use—with over 1,000 new ones added every year. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States industries generate some 79 million pounds of toxic waste each year that is not disposed of properly.

What is probably more surprising to most people, though, is that 53 million Americans unknowingly drink tap water that is polluted by feces, radiation, or other contaminants, according to the EPA. Also, some 45 million people drink water contaminated with the parasite Cryptosporidium, which killed more than 100 people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1993. And over half of all Americans drink water that has been used at least once before! (You probably shouldn’t think about this particular statistic too long if you have any tendency toward a weak stomach.) Each year, at least 400,000 cases of illness in the U.S. can be attributed to contaminated water."

Source: Jonbaron.org